Harishchandrachi Factory: We all owe a bit to Dadasaheb
iView Author: Gaurang (Pune, India)
Email: j.gaurang [at] gmail [dot] com
Harishchandrachi Factory: We all owe a bit to Dadasaheb
Q. What if Dadasaheb Phalke hadn’t ventured into making a drama out of moving pictures?
What if he wasn’t determined enough to overcome the financial crunch and societal disdain?
A. Probably our film industry would have been running 10 years late or maybe even 20-30 years late.
Harishchandrachi Factory (Harishchandra’s Factory), the film, pays a long overdue homage to the man who brought cinema to India. It is by no means a sweeping or a dramatic biopic It is a very simple behind the scenes story of Raja Harishchandra, the first Indian motion picture. The film is brimming with humor and irony of the early 20th century India.
It is 1911 when Phalke walks into a tent where a film is being screened. He takes his son along. They both are mesmerized. But Phalke, with his entrepreneurial inclinations, immediately becomes hooked with the idea of showing a ‘naatak’ (play) on the white screen. This leads to his quest to learn the technology.
There is a wonderful shot of Phalke’s family seated on the floor of the tent(theater), completely mesmerized by the moving pictures and Phalke with his back turned to the screen and staring towards the source of the beam of light projecting the images. He soon gets up and visits the projector room, from where he is shooed away.
Such images threw me on a strange kinda ride, imagining what it would have been to witness a thing such as cinema, wrapped in mystic, for the first time. Cinema, which we adore so much, on which we swear our life today, was once a mysterious phenomenon, which some person cared and loved enough to bring it to India. These sweeping thoughts overwhelmed me to such great extent, that I was soon moist eyed. I had to control the outpour.
To realize his dream Phalke embarks on a journey to London, to learn the technology. He lies to his family that he knows someone in London. He just knows some Film institute’s name, wherein he marches straight to the managers cabin and in a strong marathi accented English comes straight to the point with his first words “I am from India. I want to learn how to make cinema. Will you teach me”. Like everyone else in the theatre the manager too cracked up to this approach. Because the words are straight from the heart, with dollops of innocence and not a hint of arrogance in them.
And from thereon starts the real journey of making of India’s first film. And mind you there is no sweeping sense in the way director showcases it. It is kept simple, practical and humorous throughout, chucking the whole ‘overcoming trials and tribulation’ approach. Of course there are obstacles, but they are handled with a very light hand and none of the characters including Phalke make a big deal about it without trivializing it a bit. Unless the viewer is a cinephile, I guess he/her will miss the bigger picture, which is underplayed awesomely by the director
Paresh Mokashi, the writer and director, gets Phalke’s characterization so damn spot on, that once he is introduced to us we cant imagine anyone else to make India’s first film. Phalke is bindass, he is filled with childish enthusiasm and inquisitiveness, he has that sense of adventure in him, he has those quirks. But at the end of the day, he realizes that things went well for him just because of the support his family lends him throughout the journey.
The film also manages to bring forth certain issues in Indian society of that era. At one point in the movie, Phalke, desperate to get a female actress for the main lead, resorts to brothel visits. The hilarity continues when Phalke gives up on the search and hires a guy to play the female lead. The guy refuses to shave his moustache off because his father is still alive. Phalke calls his father and tells him “ohh..jeevant ahaat tumhi…. Ani hyaani mishi kaadhlyavar marnaar..barr” (“ohh.. so you are alive… and if he shaves his moustache, you will die..okk). Deadpan Hilarious!!!!
The film, though not a big scale emotional roller coaster, manages to uplift and inspire us in its own humble way. That from my POV is a big triumph.
I saw the film at a small marathi film festival in Pune. The response was phenomenal. The audience cheered each and every step of Dadasaheb Phalke and clapped generously at some of its genius moments.
It is yet to be released commercially. I bumped into my school friend at the screening, who was incidentally involved in the promotional activities of the film. His father is the Executive Producer of the film. He told me that they were looking at a wide release (ala Mi Shivajirao….) rather than a limited Marathi release. So be sure to catch it at a theater near you when it releases wide.
Trailer of Harishchandrachi Factory
Click here to visit the movie’s website.
Tags: Dadasaheb Phalke, Marathi, Paresh Mokashi, Raja Harishchandra
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Partho Sen-Gupta
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Thanks PFC for the sleek touch up to my article, with pictures and the trailer!!!!
amazing amazing ,awesome article ,but would have liked more details, do follow this up with a sequel post.
Yes you are right ,if Dadasaheb wasn’t there Indian cinema would have been a lot different.
Thnx vineet!!
have u checked this http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0679610/bio
a short bittersweet bio on THE man
Hey had seen the cast and director,s interview in a marathi Channel.Looking forward to catch this mopvie.
Gaurang..thanks for the insight…I would definitely watch this movie…it is a long overdue homage to the pioneer…
Gaurang,
Very nice writing. We are waiting for the movie release. Keep it up.
Biswa Prasun
Gaurang thanks for the writeup.
I saw the screening in Mumbai few days back. It was an amazing experience. Though I don’t understand Marathi and of course there were English subtiltles, I was so enamored by what was happening on the screen that I didn’t miss a frame.
Infact after the screening Anurag and me were discussing how inspiring everything was. Both Dada Saheb and Paresh Mokashi…salute to you :-)…
I urge everyone to watch this film whenever it is out.
Gaurang- wonderful post.Yes its a much needed tribute indeed to the father of Indian cinema.I would surely watch it now @ the first given oppurtunity.
thanks for the post.
wachun khup anand zala..
somebody pls tell d distributors something…why can’t dey understand….neways dey r getting no money these days…release such films n they rbound to get some money…or might also hit a jackpot like “me shivaji…”i f such an average movie goes hit den Gabhricha Paus n dis one will out of all probability make money…Something is better than nothing-my 5yr old cousin knows dat!!!!
@Rasik
Chill man!! As I’ve written in the post, the producers are looking for a big release and are in talks with EROS, Fox and PVR… This film is a very average movie goer friendly and so I’m sure these talks bear fruits soon and a wide release will happen!!
Coming to Ghabricha Paus… Now this is a serious film tackling the issue of Farmer suicides… I’m really not sure a wide release will be any good for this… But saying that doesn’t mean it wont release commercially. It surely will. Infact from what I’ve heard the producers have got funds from a US distributor, and that is very encouraging sign. It will surely get a decent limited release commercially.
Now regarding Mi Shivajirao… This may be an average movie for you and me, but you cant deny the fact that it was an absolute crowd pleaser.. Incite the audience and then follow it up with a dhamakedar payoff…. An Mi Shivajiroa did that perfectly… I saw it in Mangala(pune).. and throughout the movie the theater reverberated with claps hoots and whistles… It was complete raada/dhingana.. People had a gala time… So I was not at all surprised this film went on to become a blockbuster…
Btw EROS had picked up Mi shivajirao for distribution and they did a fantastic job with the blitz kreig promotion all over maharashtra… And it payed handsome dividends… On the other hand Harishchandrachi factory doesn’t have such potential @ box office but it will surely do business similar to Valu..
@Shivajee Chandrabhushan
Indeed it was very inspiring, but like I said in the post, Paresh underplays the subject’s sweeping milieu superbly. It wasn’t treated as “THE MAKING OF INDIA’S FIRST MOTION PICTURE”. It was rather handled very naturally and light handedly.
BTW, Sir, Frozen is finally releasing here in Pune and am damn excited!!!
I hope the film highlights one very important fact ( often neglected by the press/media) that Dadasaheb was very good at trick-photography. He learnt the art from Georges Méliès.
Also that 4 of his films were shown in London !! a feat which was achieved and not generally credited to him. The people in London hailed his efforts and especially the excitement in his trick-photography.
@kcp
That fact is highlighted in the film when he shoots the now famous ‘growth of a pea-plant’ film. Impressed by this film, the investors provides funds for Raja Harihchandra.
@ Gaurang: amazing write-up. waiting to catch up the movie.
.
btw, i watched Mi Shivaji in e square (with eng subtitles), but believe me, the reaction was not much different from mangala. such is the mass-appeal of the movie, even the so called ‘gentry’ of multiplex is forced to turn into a cat-calling / whistling “mass”.
hey, want to plan for watching frozen this weekend? contact me on 0 93251 28075, and let me know ur preference of theatres among inox, e square, city pride kothrud or adlabs, kalyaninagar (havent yet brought myself to call it Big Cinemas…)and the day (fri/sat/sun)
@Gaurang – Liked the intricacies in your post. Appreciate your intention as well. Got to know more about the man whom we all should bow to, more than anyone else as film fanatics. Would watch it if it releases here in Hyd.
You’ve found the right channel!!!
@shridhar
Thnx for ur kind words… btw do any marathi movie release there anytime???
I guess the best chances for u is to catch it in some film festival…
Btw it was screened at the Pune Intl Film Fest in Jan… but the phoren film fixation robbed me of this gem then
Gaurang/Sridhar-
Me Shivajiraje … did release in Hyd – very recently.Unfortunately I was not there when it released.
@Gaurang – Unfortunately, as far as I know the theatres do not release any Marathi films. Actually if they do get released we do not get much info on it which is sad.
@Sethu – Not sure of Me Shivajiraje, but pls drop a email when you get any release info on such films. And, if you are here then we can watch it together, with a couple of monks in!
@ Sridhar-
Me Shivajiraje ran for a week I think ( released on 15th May
) in Padmavathi Cineplex
( Kachiguda).So credit must go to Eros & also to the Bollywood strike
Sure will call/mail when I get to know of any such films & yes we will catch up when I’m there next especially since we know the monks will also be there
Great info bro…..Sure, mazaa ayega jab mil baitenge do yaar….Rainy season is coming in, so bahana to hai….LOL…monks zindabad!
When is this movie releasing?
Hey…
I was privileged to see the film twice at different screenings organised by Mr.Mokashi.
The film is brilliant! Such a heart warming experience, and the director’s earnestness oozes all through the film. A complete piece of art… please donot miss it, its a very special film. I’m wishing it gets the release it deserves and I can’t wait to see how people react to it.
To think back now maybe I could have worked on ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’. Just that when I met the amiable director some 4 years ago he was still doing research with no finance in place, only dreams and a promise “maybe this or next November, I might start. Lets keep in touch”. I didn’t as feverishly as I should have, my loss.
Then, I still had not quit everything to take the dreaded plunge. Now that I look back it gives a sense of pride and some cheap thrill to have met the man before he created his HISTORY.
Paresh Mokashi might not remember. Sir, if you are reading this, I am that idiot who wanted to do something with films and had no clue what but wanted to something/anything(still figuring). I was thrust on you by my dear friend Aditya Soparkar. We had met at a hall in Matunga East, you were rehearsing for a play.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Nice review, and this film sounds soo nice!! It also seems to me like a new kind of choice from India for the Oscars, and a good one.
It sounds to me like the kind of movie the Oscars people are likely to like!